1. US Technology Development for the Square Kilometer Array The Large-N/Small-D Concept
Jim Cordes
Cornell University
To be covered: (1) perspective on radio sky coverage w.r.t. the high-energy sky.
(2) kinds of sources expected or hoped for
(3) technical capabilities of the SKA needed
(4) time frame
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SKA2004 Penticton

2. US SKA Consortium Purpose: to coordinate SKA activities in the U. S
US SKA Consortium Purpose: to coordinate SKA activities in the U.S. Chair: Yervant Terzian (Cornell) Vice Chair: Jack Welch (UCB)
Caltech/JPL
Cornell/NAIC
Harvard/Smithsonian MIT/Haystack
NRAO
NRL
SETI Institute
UC Berkeley
University of Illinois
University of Minnesota
University of New Mexico
University of Wisconsin
Virginia Tech
11/13/2018
SKA2004 Penticton

3. US NSF Support
Current NSF Support: 3 yr/$1.5M grant from the Advanced Technology and Instrumentation program
TDP Proposal
Guidelines from the NSF June 2003
Discussion and outline phase July-Sept 2003
Task identification and organization October 2003
Development of TDP Management Plan November 2003 (approved)
Identification of workplan, tasks, timeline, budgets, and writing Oct 2003 – Feb 2004
Submitted to the NSF March 2004
Reverse site visit to the NSF October 2004
Initial funding (?)
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SKA2004 Penticton

4. The US SKA Consortium’s Technology Development Project
Overarching goal: develop the LNSD concept so that it will be an integral part of the international SKA project.
End-to-end design concept
Costing consistent with anticipated budget ceiling
Timeline and milestones consistent with the overall project timeline set by the International SKA Project
Significant Education and Public Outreach Component
11/13/2018
SKA2004 Penticton

5. The US SKA Consortium’s Technology Development Project
Technical aspects of the TDP:
Optimize antenna/receiver design
Develop manufacturing process for low-cost antennas
Define and develop plausible plan for wideband signal transport and digital processing
RFI mitigation and management
Post processing for large FOV surveys (innovations in high performance computing, networking; IVO)
Operations and maintenance plan
Costs and trades
11/13/2018
SKA2004 Penticton

6. 5-year Technology Development Project
7 main work areas (“Subprojects”)
Antennas and receivers
Signal transport and digital processing
Systems analysis and design
Construction and Operations costing
The ATA as a development facility for SKA feeds, receivers, RFI, large-N ops
Siting the SKA in the US
Education and Public Outreach
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SKA2004 Penticton

7. Proposed Subproject Funding
EPO
Siting
ATA
Antennas & Rx
Ops
System Analysis & Design
Data Trans
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8. p. 33 of TDP proposal
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9. The International SKA Project Office (ISPO)
Strong relationship with and reliance on the ISPO
Developing the science case
Identifying and leveraging synergies between national efforts
Converging on a design and site for the SKA
Developing an international demonstrator
Identifying funding
Funds requested in the TDP proposal for the
US contribution to the ISPO:
Project Director (Schilizzi)
Project Engineer (Hall)
Project Scientist (≥ 2006)
Travel expenses, RFI characterization, website, etc.
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SKA2004 Penticton

10. 11/13/2018
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11. SKA Demonstrators Related to the US Plan
The Allen Telescope Array
Science and technology, calibration, costing
The DSN Array
Technology (antenna development)
EVLA
Networking, operations, science
LOFAR
Science, calibration
6m reflectors
ATA antenna copy as feed/receiver test platform
Cut and paste tests
“12m” reflectors
Symmetric designs
Off-axis designs
12m + 4m skirt
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SKA2004 Penticton

12. 11/13/2018
SKA2004 Penticton